Army.... Be the best advert - Page 3

Matblack · 20-01-2008, 20:06

Based on this
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7174982.stm

I would have thought they would be a little more subtle with their imagery at the moment. There are plenty of pieces of equipment out there that they could demonstrate which don't have links to what is obviously current videogame tech and which will not strike a cord with 12-20 year olds. I don't for a moment doubt that whoever made that ad knew what they were doing.

I've interviewed three kids in in the last month who have left the army because it 'wasn't what I thought it would be' which actually meant 'they gave me a bloody beasting, which wasn't in the adverts and I wasn't told about by the recruitment officer'.

I'm not knocking our armed forces but I am not impressed by the ethics demonstrated by the Army in this.

On an aside, if you were buying in bluetooth controllers for military equipment, wouldn't you get it resprayed in black or a DPM scheme?

MB

SidewinderINC · 20-01-2008, 20:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matblack

On an aside, if you were buying in bluetooth controllers for military equipment, wouldn't you get it resprayed in black or a DPM scheme?

MB

Of course you would, which is why you can tell they've put it in the advert to draw people in.

Will · 20-01-2008, 21:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feek

It's an advert, of course it's glamourising things. It's how they attract people, they don't show scenes of them square bashing or being beasted over the hills, instead they show the fun and more exciting parts of the job.

I don't see anything wrong with it, if this is a piece of equipment that's genuinely used then why not show it?

Seconded.

It's an advert demonstrating the technology that the army uses. I don't think it's trying to be any more subliminal than any other advert that the Army or any other part of the government has tried. If you're not soldier calibre or material you won't make it past the training anyway, so it's daft to think that this will appeal to "geeks" who couldn't even pick up a handgun let alone a rifle :/

iCraig · 21-01-2008, 02:14

I can see people's point in it possibly misrepresenting the actual working ethic of being in the armed forces. However, I would like to think people who are interested in signing up, already realise that it's not all about whizzing spy planes through the air using a 360 controller.

It's no different to other things being glamorised on television in order to attract people, it's the concept of advertisement and has been around for years.

Fayshun · 21-01-2008, 02:25

I'm going to join the Army and if I'm not flying planes with Xbox controllers, I'll be making a complaint.

killerkebab · 21-01-2008, 03:04

I'd imagine an advert in which they show hours upon hours of training, random drills that get you pulled out of bed at 3AM, or an ambush on your convoy wouldn't make much of an advert.

That said, it shows another side of the army, and shows that there are dozens of jobs someone can do, even 'geeks'. What better way to show that anyone can do the job than to show a 360 controller that everyone is familiar with and that most 18-25 year olds have used at some point in their lives?

Goose · 21-01-2008, 09:55

If I remember correctly, there was a set of adverts by the MoD a while back, showing a bit more truth. One involved a truck that had hit a mine, for example.

Jonny69 · 21-01-2008, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haly

It just seems a bit like it's glamourising things to me is all.

No point spending thousands developing a dedicated controller when you can buy one off the shelf that is already tested to be reliable and indestructible. And as a bonus if it does go wrong you can walk into any shop and grab a new one. A dedicated controller might be a precious bit of kit with a 10 week lead time.

SidewinderINC · 21-01-2008, 18:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonny69

No point spending thousands developing a dedicated controller when you can buy one off the shelf that is already tested to be reliable and indestructible. And as a bonus if it does go wrong you can walk into any shop and grab a new one. A dedicated controller might be a precious bit of kit with a 10 week lead time.

Using the Xbox controller isn't the "problem" as such, more the way they're advertising it.

The advert is screaming "LOOK WE USE XBOX CONTROLLERS" by the way they've left it as stock white and had the camera pointing directly at it wherever possible and then panning away quickly.

Will · 21-01-2008, 18:08

Let's be honest. No geek would ever sign up to the army, and if they are a geek they'd know that they are just demonstrating that the army is using cutting edge technology that is operable by all levels. God I'd love to have had some geeks present during the times I've spent in military exercises and environments!

20-01-2008, 20:06	#21
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	Based on this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7174982.stm I would have thought they would be a little more subtle with their imagery at the moment. There are plenty of pieces of equipment out there that they could demonstrate which don't have links to what is obviously current videogame tech and which will not strike a cord with 12-20 year olds. I don't for a moment doubt that whoever made that ad knew what they were doing. I've interviewed three kids in in the last month who have left the army because it 'wasn't what I thought it would be' which actually meant 'they gave me a bloody beasting, which wasn't in the adverts and I wasn't told about by the recruitment officer'. I'm not knocking our armed forces but I am not impressed by the ethics demonstrated by the Army in this. On an aside, if you were buying in bluetooth controllers for military equipment, wouldn't you get it resprayed in black or a DPM scheme? MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"

21-01-2008, 02:14	#24
iCraig iCustom User Title Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,250	I can see people's point in it possibly misrepresenting the actual working ethic of being in the armed forces. However, I would like to think people who are interested in signing up, already realise that it's not all about whizzing spy planes through the air using a 360 controller. It's no different to other things being glamorised on television in order to attract people, it's the concept of advertisement and has been around for years. __________________

21-01-2008, 02:25	#25
Fayshun Rocket Fuel Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Adrift in the Orca Posts: 6,845	I'm going to join the Army and if I'm not flying planes with Xbox controllers, I'll be making a complaint. __________________ We must move forward not backward, upwards not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling...

21-01-2008, 03:04	#26
killerkebab Vodka Martini Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bristol/Reading Posts: 656	I'd imagine an advert in which they show hours upon hours of training, random drills that get you pulled out of bed at 3AM, or an ambush on your convoy wouldn't make much of an advert. That said, it shows another side of the army, and shows that there are dozens of jobs someone can do, even 'geeks'. What better way to show that anyone can do the job than to show a 360 controller that everyone is familiar with and that most 18-25 year olds have used at some point in their lives? __________________

21-01-2008, 09:55	#27
Goose The list is long, but distinguished Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Århus, Denmark Posts: 1,643	If I remember correctly, there was a set of adverts by the MoD a while back, showing a bit more truth. One involved a truck that had hit a mine, for example. __________________

21-01-2008, 18:08	#30
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Let's be honest. No geek would ever sign up to the army, and if they are a geek they'd know that they are just demonstrating that the army is using cutting edge technology that is operable by all levels. God I'd love to have had some geeks present during the times I've spent in military exercises and environments! __________________ *No No!*